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Wildcliff Nature Reserve
Dedicated to
plant and wildlife conservation in South Africa's Cape Floral Kingdom
Fauna of the
Wildcliff Nature Reserve
The
fynbos biome
thrives in nutrient-poor soils, and as a result the flora have a distinct
relationship with fauna, offering
limited nutrition to large vertebrates. Yet Wildcliff's diverse
mountain fynbos as well as the valleys and
crevices harbour unique pockets of vegetation, including forest and
thicket, giving food and shelter to a variety of fauna:
- Predators,
including leopards,
caracals, meerkats , Cape
grey mongoose and the yellow
mongoose.
- Other
mammals including rhebok, bushbuck,
klipspringer,
grysbok,
dassies, bushpigs
and porcupines
- Troops of chacma
baboons, one numbering in excess of 50, often seen from the
research station Heron House.
- Birds,
including raptors, sunbirds, kingfishers, herons, cranes and geese
- Reptiles
and amphibians,
such as the endemic dwarf chameleon
- Arthropods,
such as unique grasshoppers and butterflies
- Fish, including the
endemic Cape Kurper and Cape Galaxis..
- For
current observations, see the Wildcliff
Fauna Log. For our list of animal pages, see the Site Map.
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this area, leopards and the mischievous
baboons often come into conflict
with farmers and residents, and we at Wildcliff hope to learn more
about ways to protect the fauna while enabling farmers to sustain their
livelihood. Among other things, we are seeking volunteer researchers to
participate in a study of the social
and foraging behavior of the resident baboon troops. This and other
research
studies are described on the research
page. |
Links & References
- The
Gouritz Initiative - (a
conservation project based in the Little Karoo) "
Living in an area where there is a convergence of three internationally
recognised biodiversity hotspots is a great privilege. However, with
knowledge comes responsibility... so with the knowledge that these
biomes are threatened, comes the responsibility of the inhabitants of
this region to ensure that no further degradation and loss of
biodiversity occur."
- The
Baviaanskloof Mega-Reserve - a wonderful, detailed document with
great illustrations and maps online. Pdf by Andre Boshotf
- Our Private
Nature Reserve in Costa Rica - www.cloudbridge.org
Books
- The
Wildlife of Southern
Africa; a field guide to the animals and plants of the region,
edited by Vincent Carruthers. Southern Book Publishers, 1997.
- And others in the Wildcliff Library List.
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